Soul
by Trunksblue
Summary: Reincarnation or something else? James Logan discovers he has the memories of a man who used to live at the institute before he was born. What happened to the once thought to be invincible Wolverine? rnCompleted!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own X-men in anyway shape or form. Although I have bought a couple wolvie action figures! SQUEE!

**A/N: **For those who're reading it,I know I haven't finished 'Only Human's Dream' but consider it done as of now. Maybe once my muse comes back to life or whatever for that fic I'll write a sequel for it.

I'm hoping this story will be a bit of a change for my usual fics… or maybe not…. You be the judge.

**Soul**

**Chapter 1**

-

James 'Logan' Howlett

1887-1987

He was exactly 100 years old and died on the year I was born… Maybe that was the reason I had been drawn to this particular spot, to this particular grave and the name sent chills up my spine. I knelt there brushing away the weeds and dust that had built up over the years then pressed the sheet of paper over the name and carefully ran the black crayon over it.

"Find something interesting Logan?" I looked up pocketing my crayon as Rogue wandered over looking bored with several pieces of used paper in her left hand. She smoothed her hair out and squatted down next to me, "James 'Logan' Howlett…" Her thick southern accent trailed off as she read the name, she felt it too.

"Wonder who he was." I whispered folding the paper up into quarters.

Rogue touched the stone and flinched back as if she had been shock, "I don't know."

The hairs on my neck stood on end, damn this stupid assignment, damn Mr. Summers.

--

James Logan smiled slyly at Rogue as she slid onto the stool next to him. The kitchen was quiet at this time of night, that time being 2 A.M. She grabbed the bottle of coke from his hand and took a drink before setting it back down.

"What's wrong sugar?" Her dark green eyes focused on his noticing the way that they appeared black in the kitchen's dull glow.

James' smile faltered for a moment, "Ya know me too well darlin'." He ran a hand through his black naturally spiky hair. Ever since their class trip up to Canada he'd felt lost, troubled. He was sure that he probably even looked it even though he kept his emotions under wrap. The only person he would dare show his actual feelings too was the girl sitting next to him sipping on his coke. He took his coke from her gloved hand and swallowed several gulps. "It's nothin' really."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Come on James, since when have ya not told me what's on your mind?"

His eyebrows twitched up at the sound of Rogue using his first name, "Alright _Marie_," The corner of her lip twitched in amusement, smart ass, "Ever since our trip back home," At this she smiled softly, to James Canada would always be home even though he moved to New York when he was 10, "I've been havin' these bizarre dreams 'bout scientists an' doctors an'… it's just all a blur… but I keep wakin' up in a cold sweat." He sighed shakily his eyes glued on the counter's tiled surface.

"Too many Sci-fi movies?" Rogue tried softly with a weak smile.

James lifted his head exhaling sharply out his nose, "Nah, don't watch that crap." He smiled lopsidedly, his nightmares still haunting his mind.

"Yea right." She teased going for his coke again.

He quickly snatched it away grinning, "Ah, get yer own."

Rogue stuck her tongue out at him feeling slightly better that he was smiling once again, then her eyes landed on his hand. Three fresh looking deep cuts marred the skin in-between his knuckles.

"What happened to your hand?" The smile faded from her face as she reached for his hand.

Flinching away James dropped the coke bottle, he made a quick grab for it but missed and the bottle shattered spraying glass fragments everywhere.

Hissing in pain, James grabbed at his face pulling free a shard of glass from his cheek, "Aw damn it!" He grunted letting the glass shard fall to the floor as his other hand pressed against the wound. Rogue gawked at him as crimson blood leaked out between his fingers and down his cheek.

"Logan!" She gasped snapping out of her daze and jumped to her feet, "Oh my God! I'll go get help!"

He grabbed her arm and shook his head, "No," He let go of her arm and reached for the paper towels, "I'm fine. Just a small scrape."

Rogue blinked, "A small scrape? You just had…" The words stuck in her throat when James removed his hand from his face. He pressed the towel to his face and gingerly wiped away the blood, "What?" He said after a moment noticing that Rogue had fallen silent.

"Your face," Rogue whispered pulling his hand away from his cheek, "It's healed…"

---

A/N: Please let me know what you think of this. :-D


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, thank you all for the reviews! ::**Grins happily::**

--

_SNIKT!!_

_"-adimantium laced claws c'n cut through you like butter on a hot day, bub-"_

_Hah! Don't mess with the Wolverine! _

_"Our long association, my most visceral enemy, my most respected foe—Is over!!"_

_Burning, hot, searing, white hot pain… I'm falling apart! I'm tearing apart! Some one-_

"Help me!" James screamed snapping his eyes open and flinging himself forward tossing the blankets off his trembling form. His eyes darted wildly around the dark room landing on the door as it swung open and Rogue ran in looking disheveled and panicked.

"What's wrong?" She gasped looking around the room for any signs of danger, "Are you okay?" Her eyes landed on his hands, "Your hands!" She gasped.

James looked down his eyes widening at the sight of his bleeding hands and quickly wiped them off on the already stained blankets.

"What's going on?" A thin bald man in a wheel chair, Professor Charles Xavier, rolled in looking concerned. Rogue sat down on the edge of James' bed careful not to touch him with her exposed skin, since she had been in bed sleeping at the time of James' outburst.

"I'm sorry I woke you," James frowned running a shaky hand threw his sweat soaked hair and sighed, "I was just having nightmares." He looked up at Rogue pleading with her silently not to tell the Professor about his hands.

Rogue bit her lip, "Still?" She asked softly, moving so that she blocked the Professor's sight of the blood on the blankets.

Xavier furrowed his eyebrows in thought, "James, what kind of nightmares have you been having?"

"I don't know," James shook his head, "Some guy that calls 'imself Wolverine an' someone tearing him apart…" He trailed off with a shudder.

The name Wolverine stirred something inside the old man, his eyes widened and he turned away, "We'll talk in the morning," He said softly wheeling himself to the doorway, "Until then I suggest you clean yourself up and get some rest." He left the room leaving the two in stunned silence. There was no fooling a psychic, especially one as powerful as Charles Xavier owner of the mutant school.

James climbed out of bed and began pulling the blankets off it, "He knows something about my nightmares." He grumbled pausing when he came across a shredded piece of fabric.

"Maybe it's a good thing." Rogue said softly eyeing the fabric dangling from James' hand.

--

Weapon X.

The name, the company, whatever it was sent chills up my spine. The file was heavy and full of papers and pictures of a man who has been dead for 18 years now.

"He was an honorable man," I didn't realize that I had zoned the professor out, "I know that for sure."

And he was old, he lived for a hundred years. I flip open the folder and sort through the pictures; he looks a lot like me.

"You knew him personally then?" I held up a profile picture to examine it closer, I caught the Professor shake his head and tent his hands under his chin. He does that a lot when he's thinking.

"No," He starts, unfolding his hands and resting them on the armrests of his chair, "I met him several times, fought along side him once but that was all. I tried to get him to join the school but he turned me down time and time again." A wry smile crossed his lips, "He was very stubborn."

I raised my eyebrows and flipped past another picture, "You think… maybe he was my father?" That couldn't be too far fetched, I don't know who my biological parents really are anyways and this guy looks a lot like me.

Kinda scary, a hundred year old my father.

I continue on through the pictures, he's not getting any older which is… odd. Maybe they were all taken around the same time? Except for this black and white one of him in combat gear… I flip it over and my eyes widen, WWII.

The Professor clears his throat softly, "I thought so at first," I look up flipping the last of five pictures over, "But I don't think so. You see-"

"He was old, yea I get it. Stupid question." I cut him off and skim over the top paper, a profile of him.

"No, that's not what I was going to say," He sounds annoyed now, oh well, "Logan _did _have a wife who was very pregnant but…"

Now that I'm interested he stops, how ironic, "But what?"

"They both died, Rose first and then later him." Old age probably… I furrow my eyebrows in thought, she couldn't have been pregnant to have been old, so… The Professor must be reading my thoughts because he chuckles softly and picks up the pictures I had put aside.

"Logan had an accelerated healing factor that slowed his aging down quite a bit. If he hadn't been murdered I'm sure he would have lived at least another hundred years." That would explain the pictures.

"How was he murdered?" I have a sick feeling that I already know but I have to hear it from someone else. Professor frowns slightly and sighs, "I don't know. I just got word that they were both dead and that was it."

I can't except that that was it, the man has files on him and he doesn't even know how he died? Maybe he isn't really dead… A knock at the door stirs me from my thoughts, the Professor calls them in and Rogue walks through the door. I stand up glance at the Professor and walk past Rogue winking at her as I leave. I'll leave them to talk, I have my own research to do.

---

A/N: The line '_Our long association, my most visceral enemy, my most respected foe—Is over'_ is from the comic book where Logan gets the adimantium ripped from his bones. Sorry I can't remember the title of it. :P

Please Review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

Blix Howlett: Thank you for the review, the comic book issue (I was too lazy to go and find it in my room lol), and the novel suggestion. Maybe I'll go look for it. :-D I was reading your profile and I thought, 'This sound like me!' lol Thanks again for the review!

Xiowolfe: ::Grins at question:: I sooo want to answer your question but I think this chapter might answer it. Thank you for the review! :-D

A/N#2: Thanks too Blix Howlett for the info, the issue Magneto's quote came from was Wolverine #75, Fatal Attractions. It's a crazy issue that even has Rose in it. (I think it was her? ::Goes to read it again:: )

-

"How ya feelin' sugar?" I could smell her before she even opened the door; my senses have been acting up for days now. I motion for her to close the door, the noises from the younger students hurts my ears. It all had started one night after a quick workout in the Danger room. I got back in my room began changing when suddenly I was bombarded by heightened senses. Smells got stronger, my vision suddenly got clearer, and then everything got loud. An hour later I woke up on my bed and the changes had stayed.

I smiled warily up at her as I packed my duffle bag, the one I had brought when I first came here. I was told I had it when the people at the orphanage found me passed out in a pile of snow in the middle of nowhere. Nothing was in it except a letter, which I never got to read. I don?t care too anyways.

"Better, think I'm gettin' used ta hearing everythin' ten-fold now." I shoved another pair of blue jeans and boxers in the bag before zipping it up.

Rogue smiled a little and sat down on the edge of the bed, "You goin' somewhere?" She asked softly.

I nodded, "Yea, 'm goin' on a road trip." I have a few things I need to think over, to find...

She frowned, "On a road trip? Are you sure? You've hardly left your room since your senses went wild?"

Good point, "I'll be okay." I smiled reassuringly at her.

She rolled her eyes and turned for the door, "I'm going with you." She said over her shoulder. I opened my mouth to protest but she cut me off with a sly smirk, "I'll be back." She grinned closing the door behind her self.

--

"So where're we goin', sugar?" Rogue grinned sliding into the passenger side of the X-van with a backpack in hand. Slamming the door shut she dropped the bag to the floor by her feet and turned her eyes to him.

James lifted a shoulder starting up the engine, "Back to that cemetery first," He glanced over at her and sighed turning his head, "Thanks Marie." He said softly looking her in the eye.

Rogue nearly flinched at his words, she had only heard him say thanks once and it was to Xavier on the day he was adopted into the school, "For what?"

James flushed, "Fer comin' with me?" He was embarrassed now, she smiled and nodded as he turned and pulled the car out of the garage.

---

The quiet was soothing to James' ears, only the hum of the engine and the occasional whoosh of a passing car. Other than that the roads were completely secluded amongst a thick grove of trees. They had crossed into Canadian borders over an hour ago and hadn't passed by a diner or anything in ages. Rouge lifted her head from the window and tilted it towards James tiredly, "What do ya plan on finding?"

James raised his eyebrows at the random question then shrugged, "Anythin' I guess. Who he was an' why he's hauntin' me in my dreams." He said the last bit sarcastically producing a smirk from Rouge as she pulled her backpack up on her lap.

"You think the Prof. wasn't tellin' ya something?" She asked pulling out two sticks of beef jerky.

James nodded taking the offered stick of jerky, "I know it."

"Why would he keep somethin' like that from you?" Rogue frowned unwrapping the beef jerky stick; the professor could be odd sometimes. She took a bite of the meat and froze, something about the whole scenario made her feel deja vue.

"I have a feelin' he's done it ta this Logan guy as well, kept somethin' from him."

Rogue shifted slightly, "You think maybe you're a reincarnation of him" Logan I mean?" She shrugged, "Your names are very close, James Logan, James Howlet and he used ta be called Logan too."

It was very close, and it would also explain the dreams, "No. I don't think so." James shook his head and ate his beef jerky in two bites.

"What about your mutation?" Rouge added with a raised eyebrow.

James glanced at her, "What 'bout it?"

"And you look a lot like him too!" She gasped ignoring his question.

"You saw the pictures?" James frowned taking his eyes off the road so that he could glare at her.

Rogue shrugged, "They were on his desk." She answered innocently with a small smile.

A long sigh escaped James lips, "You little-" He paused loosing himself in thought for a moment, "How'd you know his mutation was like mine?" Rogue's eyes widened guiltily, "You were eavesdropping!" He accused pointing at her, an amused smile lighting up his face; he finally caught her!

Rogue held her hands up in defense, "Only the end! I promise!" She grinned dropping her hands into her lap, "The Prof. didn't sound very convincing though, did he?"

"You mean 'bout the whole 'I just got word that they were both dead and that was it.' Thing? Nah, I may not be able ta read minds but I can tell when someone's lyin'." He sighed readjusting his grip on the steering wheel as the trees suddenly began thinning out and traffic began picking up a bit.

Rogue nodded leaning back against her seat, "You know? this might sound crazy," She said after a moment, James shot her a look and she laughed softly and continued, "But I feel like I've done this with you before. The whole road trip thing," She shrugged looking over at him, "Crazy, huh?"

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A/N: Please Review!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you Xiowolfe and Blix Howlett for the reviews! :-D

-

The ancient dusty smell of musty old books assaulted both Rogue and James' noses as they walked into the old building. The outside was crumbling apart with the help of the long gnarly vines climbing their way up the brick walls, but the inside looked newer and warmer.

Rogue stifled a sneeze in the sleeve of her jacket, "Uhg, I know this was my idea to come here… but haven't these people heard of a vacuum?"

James shrugged smirking slightly; the place wasn't exactly the cleanest of places he had seen. A sickly thin looking woman approached them shoving her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "Can I help you?" She asked snidely straightening the bun her hair was in.

Rogue sniffed loudly pulling a Kleenex from her jacket, she glared at the woman, "Yea, we're lookin' for documents on someone-"

"Who?" The woman interrupted briskly walking behind the counter and to her computer where she typed something in.

"James Howlett." James said before Rogue could answer, she sighed and turned away to blow her nose.

The librarian typed the name in, "We have a few documents on him…" She said slowly, "Right this way." Motioning with her right hand, she led the two to a section in the back of the building, "You can find a bit about him in here." She pointed to a shelf of books and turned quickly walking away with her nose up in the air.

"She was charming." Rogue snorted sarcastically glaring at the woman's retreating back.

James ignored her dropping to his knees and pulled out a book, "The Black Ops." He read dusting the cover off gently and set it down pulling out another book, "Captain America," He frowned wiping the cover clean, "What does Captain America have to do with Logan?"

Rogue sat down next to him taking the 'Black Ops' book and began flipping through it, "'m not sure… hey isn' that him?" She pointed to a black and white picture of three men and a woman in uniform standing before a truck. James turned his head looking over the picture, "Yea," He nodded, "What's that 'bout 'nyways?"

Rogue shrugged scanning over the page, "About a group that did secret missions." She closed the book and held it up, "Not that thick, think they have it all or all they could find?"

"There's more they just don't know 'bout it." James frowned looking through the pictures in the 'Captain America' book.

Rogue glanced at him awkwardly before pulling out another book, this one newer looking but still just as dusty. She cleaned it off finding that it didn't contain a title and flipped it open to handwritten scribbles dated from 1980 to 1987.

"Hey look at this," She tapped James on the shoulder and moved closer to him so that he could see the journal better, "I think it's our guys. And look," She pointed inside the cover and then flipped it over and opened the back, "No card. It's not the libraries."

James took the book, "Think it was hidden here?"

Rogue shrugged climbing to her feet, "Take it an' let's get outta here," She closed her eyes rubbing her temples, "I'm getting a headache."

--

-I don't know how old I really am; they'll pro'ly guess or somethin'. Not that I'll care, I'll be dead 'nyways. After a decade an' a half o' searching I finally found some answers, my name, my real name is James Howlett. Why I changed it to Logan 'm not sure yet-

Rogue sighed flipping over in her sleep; distracted I closed the journal and turned off the light. Just, well maybe I shouldn't say 'just' but rather four long hours ago Rogue an' me snuck the journal out of the dusty old library. The old hag of a librarian glared at us as we smiled impishly at her while we left, Rogue even giving the building the finger as we raced towards the 'van. That girl can be overly cocky at times, only one of the reasons I like her.

An hour later we pulled up to a diner where I stashed the journal in the glove compartment before going inside. The place was nice, warm, and to both our relief, dust free.

But not cranky old people free.

We were just settling in to having our dinner when this blonde jackass came up to our table and started hitting on Rogue like I wasn't even there. Then he grabbed her arm, lucky for her, she had long sleeves on, and I say that because I'm pretty sure if he had touched her she would have zapped all his stupidity into her. She pulled free of his grasp and the asshole goes to hit her, and that's when I lost it. The next thing the punk knew he was sprawled out on his back with a bloody nose and I had six bone claws sliding out the backs of my hands.

Where the Hell the claws came from I'm not even sure, but I wasn't about to let that slow me down with usin' them on that jerk. But the hand on my arm pulling me away did. We left the diner in silence, everyone inside staring at us with wide-eyed freaked out expressions. It woulda been funny on any other occasion.

Two hours later Rogue climbed back into the van with a bag of groceries glanced at me but didn't say a word. She hasn't spoken to me since and that's probably why the time has been going by so slow. I haven't even read that much of the journal yet, just those couple of sentences.

"Your hands better?" I glance over at Rogue; she stares back at me through the darkness from the bed. I nod swinging my feet up onto the couch, "Yea darlin', they're fine."

---

A/N: Please Review!!!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This chapter's dedicated to Xiowolfe and Blix Howlett! Thanks for the reviews guys! :-D

--

She stopped calling me Logan. I didn't notice it until recently; she has always called me Logan. I'm pretty sure it has to do with this Logan guy I'm slowly turning into, or whatever the Hell's going on.

"Maybe," She says suddenly turning off the T.V, I look up at her from the journal, "Maybe you're just possessed by him." She's trying to come up with something logical again; I guess I can't blame her. You see, I was just at the mansion because they suspected that I _could _be a mutant and with all this mutant fear craze going on, no one wanted me. I didn't even have a mutation until several weeks ago, just, what, not even a day after the grave project? Believe me, I want some sense in this whole thing too.

"Think he wants me ta find somethin' out for him?" I smirk, "Some unfinished business?" That just made her mad, guess I was a little heavy on the sarcasm.

"You know what?" She snaps standing up, "I'm just trying to help. Believe it or not James, but all that's happened to you is a little crazy!"

A little? I bet this could out do those tabloid papers, I can just see it now… 'Man visits grave only to have ghost possess and try to take over his body and come back as him!' No I don't think that's what's going on… I hope.

"Look Marie," I used her real name making her loose a bit of that bloodlust in her eyes, "I'm just… I don't know what's goin' on."

"You can be such a jerk sometimes."

I smirk then shrug, "Sorry darlin'." She huffs and flops down turning the T.V back on. I watch her for a moment before turning back to the journal. Speaking of crazy, there's a lot of it in this little book. It proves some of the things Xavier told me, and what the other books in the library were about, I.E Captain America. Who knew that Captain America was frozen in some base over several decades ago while they wait for a cure for his molecular breakdown? Maybe that's what I'm supposed to do, go and see 'Cap' and tell him how my day was.

Damn, the sarcasm's coming back…

My head's starting to hurt now, "Rogue?" She ignores me, "Rogue?" I say a little louder and she turns to me about to say something sharp but the words die in her throat when she sees me. I must look worse than I thought…

--

"You okay?" Rogue frowned turning off the T.V

James dropped the book to the ground, the color draining out of his face, "No…" He said weakly then blinked, his eyes slowly locking onto Rogue's.

Rogue stepped up to James starring at him awkwardly, "James?" She whispered taking in the odd glazed expression in his eyes.

"Every time." James frowned slightly his voice coming out a little gruffer and thicker in Canadian accent. He stared down at the backs of his hands forlornly. Rogue, taken aback by the randomness of James' words, furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "What?"

James fisted his hands and looked back up at her, "You asked about my claws, 'when they come out, does it hurt?' And I answered ya."

"But," Rogue started looking around the room feeling as if she walked through the 'Twilight Zone', "I didn't ask you that." James' eyes suddenly cleared, he blinked furrowing his eyebrows, "Were we just talking about my claws?" He asked warily climbing to his feet.

Rogue nodded sinking down onto the bed. James ran a hand through his hair looking around the small hotel room anxiously, "We were just in the car… truck… talking though…" He sat back down on the couch sighing heavily.

"You okay?" Rogue spoke up snapping out of her shock and confusion.

James nodded holding his head in his hands, "I didn't sleep last night, guess all this research an' lack of sleep is catchin' up ta me, huh?" He lifted his head and smirked weakly at her.

--

A/N: Please Review!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you Xiowolfe, Blix Howlett, and TricaLee for the reviews!! :-D

-

"It should be right 'round -- there!" James spun the steering wheel to the left turning the 'van sharply into a hidden road. "Hah!" He laughed grinning in triumph. Rogue allowed herself a small smile, she hadn't said much since James' episode. It must have rattled her more than she thought; she figured her eyes searching the trees for a path of some kind. James pulled the van over and parked it.

"You see it?" Rogue asked softly her eyes flickering to his face then back to the trees.

James shook his head pulling the keys out of the ignition, "No, it's over grown. But the cabin should be straight that way." He pointed out Rogue's window then climbed out of the van. Rogue's lip twitched downward as she climbed out and had to run to catch up with him.

"Wait!" She called out ducking under a low-lying branch, "James!"

He slowed down a bit but didn't stop, his eyes transfixed on the barely visible path in front of him. Rogue trailed behind him suddenly contempt at being behind him, and then her eyes fell on the small cabin in front of them. James didn't even hesitate going up the stairs and trying the doorknob. Rogue's eyes wandered over the old cabin, the place was completely abandoned. Dust coated the windows, weeds ate up the sides, and the door was locked.

James scowled thumping on the door with his fist, "The middle o' no where an' he locks the door!?" He tried the knob again this time using a little more force to no avail.

Rogue sighed shoving her hands in her pocket, "Didn't he write where he hid the key?" The man had written down where the cabin was but had forgotten that he locked the place, how ironic…

"No." James snapped childishly, Rogue smirked a little imagining him as a little boy stomping around the living room of his home. The smirk dissipated when James produced a paper clip from his pants pocket and unbent it before sticking it in the lock. He twisted and turned the thin piece of wire for a moment before the door clicked and the knob turned in his hand. Slowly he pushed the door open and tilted his head to the side before turning back to her with a triumphant smirk.

"Someone's been watchin' MacGyver reruns." Rogue snorted climbing up the old creaky stairs to where James stood holding the door open for her, "Sure it's safe?"

James shrugged walking in before her, "Yea, it's only been abandoned fer eighteen years." He looked around running his hand over a chest positioned against the wall and came back with black smudges on his fingers.

"With a little cleanin' I bet this place would be nice." Rogue muttered softly picking up a book from the coffee table in the center of the room. It was coated with at least an inch of dust, sucking in a lung full of air she blew the dust from the cover and watched as it resettled on the coffee table. Black Japanese symbols stared at her from the would be red covered book.

"He knew… Chinese?" She held the book out to James as he walked over and took it from her.

"Japanese. Lived there for a while I guess." He shrugged setting the book back down on the dust white coffee table. Rogue watched the dust settle around the book as James walked into the kitchen. Nothing much was in there but bare cupboards, a table, and a 'fridge. Curiosity spiked his interest as his eyes landed on the 'fridge.

--

'What would be in a 18 year old abandoned 'fridge?' I thought wiping the dust from the handle, 'Maybe nothing… most likely nothing…' But I pulled the door open anyways halfway expecting to see some kind of dead rotting animal corpse in there for some reason.

Instead I find three bottles of expired beer.

That was certainly fun. I search through the drawers finding another bottle of expired beer and a rancid piece of meat. Thank God it was wrapped tightly in a Ziploc bag, I quickly close the drawer and the 'fridge turning away from it. The smell of putrid meat was trying to force it's way out of the drawer and out of the 'fridge, I could smell it.

"Hey Rogue?" I called out moving away from the 'fridge to where Rogue stood looking at something, I moved closer catching a glimpse of what she was holding. It was a picture of Logan and a beautiful young woman with long dark brown hair and piercing green eyes. Rogue turned to me still looking down at the picture, "God James," She said softly, "They look… They look just like us."

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A/N: Please Review!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Woot! More people have come to read my humble story! Thank you all for the reviews! –Hands out cookies-

--

She handed me the picture frame and I hesitantly looked down at the couple, "Well maybe not _just _like us, but _a lot _like us." She corrected herself. But she's right, the woman's piercing green eyes and dark brown hair matches Rogue's, minus the white bangs, I remind myself. The man, Logan, so closely resembles an older me that my hands begin to tremble. Not much, but it still left me feeling disturbed.

Rogue took the picture from me, "Who do you think she is?" Her voice is soft but frighteningly clear to my sensitive hearing. Her fingers brush over the glass keeping the picture safe, and then she flips the frame over and opens the back pulling out the photo.

"Logan and Rose," She reads, her voice shaking, "You know my middle-"

"Don't," I cut her off, "Just… Just don't say it." I turn away from her eyes and the picture and sit down on the couch. A cloud of dust billows out from the cushions engulfing me with suffocation. I can just hear Rogue's startled gasp and then giggling over my coughing/sneezing fit.

I move from the couch, my eyes watering miserably and my nose suddenly dripping, "Damn it!" I ground out after a sneeze, "This is all One Eye's fault!" I hold my sleeve up to my nose and wipe my eyes with my other hand while trying to glare menacingly at Rogue, which only makes her laugh harder.

Composing herself she grins wickedly at me, "Oh really?" She says wiping the mirth from her eyes, "An' why's that?"

I straighten up clearing my throat, "If he hadn't taken us on that stupid etchin' project o' his we wouldn't be standin' here right now in this dusty ol' cabin."

Rogue sniffed still smiling, "Yea, we'd be in school listening to Mr. Summer's babble on about something or another."

"Hn," I grunted looking down at our footsteps in the dust on the floor, "Guess that's a plus…"

--

The music played softly from the bedroom, an upbeat sound with a male's voice singing the lyrics. James rolled his eyes to the door from his spot on the now dust free couch. It had taken them over three hours to clean up the house and then buy something to eat. The music was turned up a little, 'Probably to drown out Rogue's voice.' He thought with a smirk and propped his head up with his arms while his legs folded over the arm of the couch.

_You're the only thing that I love  
It scares me more every day  
On my knees I think clearer_

_Goodness knows I saw it coming  
Or at least I'll claim I did  
But in truth I'm lost for words_

He recognized the song as Snow Patrol's Chocolate; it was Rogue's favorite song.

After a few more lines the song ended and another one started then was quickly turned off. The bedroom door swung open and Rogue walked out in a long sleeve T-shirt and sweats, still humming the song as she walked down the hall to the living room where James was lying. She stopped at the end of the couch observing James shirtless and taking up half the couch so that his legs could hang over the arm of the couch. He smirked a little not bothering to move when she walked around and sat on the other side of him, making his head sink in the cushions a little.

"Did the water work?" He asked lifting his head and putting it in her lap.

Rogue tensed slightly then smiled running her gloved fingers through his hair, "It was pretty gross when I first turned it on. But after five minutes it cleared up."

"Rusty pipes," James almost purred enjoying Rogue's fingers in his hair, "Surprised it ran clean after only five minutes though…" He sighed closing his eyes and leaned into the touch.

"The water pressure was pretty strong too." She added scratching behind his ear, she grinned when his foot jumped a little.

The two sat there in comfortable silence for several minutes, or until Rogue thought James had fallen asleep and she tried to climb out from under his head. James stirred opening his eyes and sat up running a hand through his hair, "Think I'm gonna go an' take a shower now." He climbed to his feet and turned to Rogue and leant down gently kissing her on the forehead before pulling away quickly and retreating into the bedroom.

Rogue stared at the bedroom door dumbly then blinked, "Holy shit."

--

A/N: Please Review! :-D


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Cookies to whoever can guess where I got the idea for the first scene! And a really odd look to whoever doesn't know.

--

"James." Rogue whispered softly afraid to touch his bare shoulder with her bare hands. He shimmered in sweat, his face scrunched up in fear caused by whatever nightmare plaguing his mind. "James." She whispered again and suddenly his eyes snapped open.

A sudden sense of deja vue swept over Rogue as James lurched forward, claws sinking into her chest like it was nothing.

James' eyes widened in horror, "Marie!" He gasped retracting his claws.

Blood poured through the three holes in her light green nightshirt, her hand reached forward touching James' face.

It was the first time he had actually felt her bare skin against his for this long. Fear clutched at his stomach, and then suddenly his face started to go numb. At first it was only where her fingertips touched his bare skin. But then it began to spread, over his whole face, down his neck, across his chest and back, arms, fingers, legs, and toes. It didn't hurt, or burn, but coldness began to take over canceling out the numbness. Even during all of this he noticed the blood slowing and the gashes healing and thought, 'She'll never forgive me…'

Rogue flinched back pulling her hand away from James' face and watched as he slumped forward falling from the bed.

"Logan!" She cried out dropping down to his side as he convulsed, his eyes rolled back into his head, "Oh my God, Logan!" Her head pounded and her vision wavered with all of the new memories that had been forced in. The situation before her wasn't exactly helping any either. Quickly she grabbed the sheet from the floor covering James' shoulders with it as she rolled him over onto his back and held him down.

After what seemed like forever he stilled, his breathing slowly returned to normal and his eyes closed. Rogue carefully covered the rest of his torso and legs with the sheet, before leaning back on her heels and allowing herself to cry. She had had no idea of all the things that were going through James' head. And now all the memories, some that couldn't possibly have been his, raced through her mind in one gigantic migraine. And that didn't even include his mutations she absorbed as well.

"Marie?" James breathed softly, if it wasn't for her sensitive hearing at that moment she would have missed it, "I'm sorry…"

She rocked forward dropping to her knees and hesitantly touched his sheet covered shoulder, "No…" She shook her head, "No, I'm sorry, Logan… It's not yer fault, ya didn't know I was there." Her voice had taken up a bit of his accent as well she noted absently.

James tilted his head her way and smiled weakly before passing out again.

--

Wooden floors only warm because of your body heat are not the best thing to wake up on, especially with a hangover like feeling sweeping over you swift and hard. I scrambled to my feet and just made it to the toilet before I promptly threw up whatever was left of dinner last night.

Not a great way to start the day that's for sure.

As I sat there on the floor, my forehead resting on the (thank God) freshly cleaned toilet seat, Rogue walked in and knelt down next to me. She was already fully dressed in a pair of blue jeans, black hoody, and black gloves. I tilted my head towards her not lifting it from the coolness of the seat, despite my shivering form, and smiled weakly at her.

"You okay?" She asked softly reaching around me to flush the toilet and then rub my back soothingly, like my mother used to do when I was sick… that was so long ago.

I lifted my head and stood up turning on the sink, "Yea," I grunted, my voice raspy. I waited for the water to clear up before dunking my head under the spray and rinsed my mouth a few times. When I stood back up Rogue handed me a towel with a hesitant smile. I wiped my mouth and tossed the towel onto the counter before moving past her into the bedroom where I searched the floor for my clothes, since I was only in my boxers. Finding my blue jeans and black T-shirt, I quickly pulled them on and turned finding Rogue still standing in the doorway.

She stepped forward her hands fisted at her sides, "I'm sorry." Her voice was low and uneasy, like she was just waiting for me to snap or something, "I didn't mean ta touch ya last night, or scare ya. Ya just… just…"

"Marie," I cut her off, damn it, it's my fault that any of this happened anyways, "It's not yer fault." She stared at me with large green eyes, "It's not yer fault."

"Her name," She said suddenly changing topics, "Was Rose Marie…"

I stared at her for a long moment, "What?" A chill went up my spine as she approached me staring me dead in the eye.

"Her name was Rose Marie," She said slower in a much more hushed voice, "And she was my mother."

--

A/N: Dear God can this story get any weirder? Yes maybe…

Please Review!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews!! :-)

--

"Her name was Rose Marie," She said slower in a much more hushed voice, "And she was my mother."

I could've sworn the room dropped ten degrees and that my breath was coming out as little white wisps, "An' how do ya know this?" I managed to keep my voice calm, somehow. Rogue bowed her head; that intensity I had just seen in her eyes only mere seconds ago disappeared.

She tilted her head to the side, just enough to still keep it bowed but also see me, "When I touched ya I got a good mind full o' yer memories," My accent in her voice didn't sound right, I decided randomly as she lifted her head a little more, "An' Logan's memories as well. One o' them was the birth o' a little girl who they called Marie… James… I know now why I was left at the mansion. I know now what the Prof wouldn't tell me." Her eyes sparkled happily and a little of the guilt from stabbing her began to vanish, only a little. But it reappeared again at the question forming in my mind, and then on my lips, "But how do ya know?"

The sparkle in her eyes didn't even waver, "I just feel it." She smiled lightly. I couldn't help but smile back, and then she added, "They had a little boy too."

A sick feeling began crawling up the pit of my stomach, "And?" I asked softly watching her expression change to one of sadness.

"He was older than me by a year and his name was Jack."

Was that me? Was I Jack and Xavier took Marie and I in after our parents died? No, that couldn't be it; Marie had been at the institute longer than me. I had been found outside of Canada with a mild case of amnesia and taken to the hospital where Xavier came and took me in.

I studied her face, "What's wrong darlin'?"

Her head jerked up and she blinked, "Just sortin' through the memories," She replied with a shrug, "I can't tell what's goin' on… I think Rose died while giving birth to me. But I'm not sure." She sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

The room was silent for a moment, our breathing and the drip, drip of the faucet in the bathroom the only things breaking the silence. I moved over to the bed and sat down, the bed groaned in protest to my weight adding to the other sounds.

"I didn't realize all those memories were in my head." I smirked trying to ease the tension that was building.

A sad smile worked its way across her lips, "The more answers we find the more questions we get," I nodded locking my eyes on the side of her face, "Now what are we gonna do?"

--

_'Rose is pregnant with our second child and Chuck is cookin' up something.' _

James sat on the bed lacing up his boots as Rogue stood in the doorway waiting for him, "So we're going back to the mansion to find out what Xavier's not telling us?" James' accent is no longer evident in her voice.

_'Told him that he was crazy and I wasn't gonna go in with his plan.' _

"That's the plan." James grunted grabbing the journal from the nightstand and stood up flashing Rogue a wary smile, "We should stop at the library first," Rogue made a face and he continued with a laugh, "Just to make sure we didn't miss anything."

_'I have the safety of my family to think of.'_

Rogue sighed heavily, "Alright… Did you finish reading that journal?"

"No, I still have a couple o' pages left," He shoved the book into his duffle bag, "You know… on second thought maybe we should go to the hospital and see if there are any records of your birth?"

"Yea," Rogue nodded hesitantly, "I have a bad feeling about going back to the mansion…"

_'And all this time I had thought Chuck _wanted_ peace between us and the humans.'_

--

A/N: I know it's short and has been a long time :-( but I promise the next chapter will be longer and up faster!!

Please review!!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews! There's a couple of things in this chapter important for the end, one more so than the other, think you can figure it out? :-D

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"Here it is, Marie Rose Howlett born here January 16th, 1986." The receptionist, a man with long graying hair pulled back in a ponytail, smiled friendly at Rogue and James, "Anything else I can help you with?"

Rogue nodded hesitantly, "Were there any complications?" She shoved her gloved hands into the pouches in her sweatshirt and leaned forward trying to get a better view of the computer screen.

James leaned his side against the counter beside Rogue and began flipping through the journal he had brought inside with them. They had been there a little over two hours trying to convince someone to look up the files for them, finally Roy, the graying receptionist, agreed to it.

"Mrs. Howlett died of a hemorrhage. She was dead before the baby even drew her first breath, sad really…" Roy said then looked up to Rogue, "I'm sorry but that's all there is here."

"Thanks." Rogue sighed moving away from the counter, "Well that was a waste of time." She grumbled heading towards the elevator with James a few steps behind, completely absorbed in the journal.

"Did you find something?" She asked stepping into the elevator and pressed the button for the main floor. James pulled himself away from the journal and closed it stretching out his back and arms.

"I don't think Xavier's gonna tell us much." He bit back a yawn and rubbed his eyes as the elevator came to a stop and the doors reopened.

Rogue tilted her head to the side curiously, "Why's that?"

James held up the little green journal, "Chuck was planning ta create a mutant team to subdue the humans with." He said lowly so that only Rogue could hear as they walked through the front doors. Rogue frowned giving James a confused look while he fumbled with his keys and unlocked the van.

"But…" Rogue's face scrunched up in thought, "He's always been for humans and mutants co-existing… James, Xavier is like a father to me… he's raised me from an infant and I have never heard him say anything about a mutant team for subduing humans."

"Really?" James said slowly raising an eyebrow in disbelief, "What about the X-men?"

--

The van was silent and slowly cooling down, it had to be at least 20 degrees outside. Canada sure had some bizarre weather, but who was I to complain? My eyes rolled over to Rogue staring at the sign above the door reading 'Princess's Bar'. Logan used to hang out here a lot, said it reminded him of his old bar down (up?) in Madripoor where everyone knew him as 'Patch'. Kinda sounds like 'Cheers' to me, Rogue had said the same thing when I read her the passage before leaving the hospital.

I reached for the door handle sighing, "Come on let's go in." I offered her a weak smile before opening the door and pulling myself out of the driver's seat. I stretched a bit before closing the door, I had, after all, been driving for a little over an hour and a half.

Logan sure did get around.

The bar was dark and smelled sour and dusty, kinda like the library… Rogue followed hesitantly behind me looking about the small cabin-like bar, "This place," She said softly eyeing a fighting cage in the corner, "seems familiar."

I nodded but before I could answer a booming voice rose up from the bar, "I thought I told ya that ya weren't welcomed here 'ny more runt!" The bartender, a stout man with a rifle in his hand aimed at my head shouted.

Rogue made a squeaking noise, her eyes growing wide at the sight of the gun.

"You've never told me that," I grunted, something in the back of my mind beginning to nag at me but I ignore it, "Look, we're just here to get some answers about someone is all."

The man cocked back the hammer on his gun, "Ya ain't tricking me ya stupid mutie, I remember ya even if it's been twenty years."

"You knew Logan?" Rogue spoke up suddenly, "We're here about him! I'm his daughter."

"I don't care who the hell ya are! Get outta my bar!" He pointed the gun at the door before aiming it right back at my head. Rolling my eyes I turned for the door, "Come on Rogue, let's get outta here." I grumbled.

Another dead end and waste of time. Rogue huffs as she climbs into the van and slams her door shut.

"I hate people." She declares pulling out a bag of beef jerky she had stashed in the glove compartment. I snort cranking up the heat before pulling out of the parking lot and back onto the dirt road. "But not just one person, all of them. Mutant and humans alike." Rogue continued shoving a large piece of meat into her mouth.

I snag a piece of jerky from her bag without taking my eyes off the road, "Just 'cause of one person?" I asked chewing on the meat.

Rogue shakes her head, "Nah, a couple… well I don't know." She sighs tucking the jerky back into the glove compartment before reclining back in her seat, "Where to next?"

--

A/N: Please Review!!!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews!!

--

My bare feet pounded the ground, slipping on mud, splitting open on jagged rocks, and shooting up pain with every step. Everyone's mad at me, doesn't matter what I told them, tell them, show them. He's got them all brainwashed like the children they are, they're all children and he didn't even care.

My claws drip with blood and I don't care, the angry shouts and explosions behind me is all my mind is focusing on. The green journal of my life, past life, clutched in my right hand pressed up against my side. Maybe I won't make it, maybe it won't matter, maybe I don't care… but maybe I do.

--

"What do you think?" Rogue whispers softly, we're back at the mansion since I've read the end of the journal. She sits on the couch, her back to the armrest, her knees pulled up to her chest, "You had another vision, you know something. Tell me."

I stand at the other side of the couch, my left hand resting on the armrest, my right hand holding a bottle of coke. We stare at each other's eyes for a few moments; I break the contact by blinking and looking away taking a swig of the cold soda.

"I pieced together the dreams I had before we left and the ones I've had recently," I start turning back to her, she has moved closer, her chin resting on her knees like a child, "A mutant named Magneto murdered Logan by stripping him of his adimantium." There's a dull ache in my bones as if they're recalling the events I'm remembering.

Rogue lifts her head, "Magneto died a little over a year ago… he could manipulate metals." She frowns and begins chewing on her lower lip, "But wait, what happened to Jack? I mean if Xavier took me in, why didn't he take Jack in too?"

I move around the couch and sit down next to her, "I'm not sure." I sigh leaning back into the couch and close my eyes trying to replay the memory a little more clearly.

Rogue shifts next to me, "_'Xavier's pissed that I'm leavin' the team. I could care less if ya ask me. I've already packed up Jack and Marie's things, we're leaving in the morning_.'" She reads the passage from the journal slowly, almost as if she's memorizing it.

I picture Logan writing the passage in his journal, he's angry but trying not to let it show. Then I'm caught up in another memory of Logan's. I'm… he's driving and Jack's babbling to him while Marie sits in her car seat in the back crying. She's hungry or something but there's nothing he can do until they get to the cabin in another, he looks at the clock, five, ten minutes.

Suddenly he's on the ground out of breath.

Jack's screaming.

"You bastard!" I'm shouting out loud, Logan's on his feet and Magneto's holding Jack up by his throat. The four-year-old deathly white, his eyes wide with fear, his legs limp.

I can feel Rogue next to me but I can't snap out of the memory, "Talk through it." She's saying, "Tell me what's going on!"

"Magneto's got Jack by the neck!" I gasp, Logan's struggling to get to him but Magneto has him paralyzed with his powers, "I can't move, damn adimantium skeleton! JACK!"

--

The book fell from her hands, "Talk through it." She whispered leaning forward onto her knees, "Tell me what's going on!"

James' eyes squeezed shut, his face twisting up in anger and pain, "Magneto's got Jack by the neck!" He gasped, his head jerking from side to side, "I can't move, damn adimantium skeleton! JACK!"

Rogue's hands fall on his shoulders trying to keep him calm; he was really in the memory now, "James!" She gasped as he jerked away from her and jumped to his feet, claws unleashing with a spray of blood, and his eyes snapping open angrily. His eyes dart around the room wildly before resting on Rogue, "Rose?" He whispered, claws retracting into the backs of his hands silently.

Rogue's eyes glaze over, "Took ya long enough." She grinned climbing to her feet.

In one long stride, James had her in his arms, "I've missed ya darlin'." He whispered holding her close.

Rose pulled back smiling, "Ya think they'll figure it out?" The smile faded from her face, as did Logan's.

"I hope so darlin'."

---

A/N: Please Review!!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thank you Blix Howlett, Veronica, Roguechere, Marissa, and Xiowolfe for the reviews! The common thing in everyone's reviews seemed to be confusion. Lol. Hopefully the chapter after this will clear some things up because I'm just as confused. ::Blush:: If anyone needs and explanation on what's going on feel free to E-mail me and I'll try to straighten things out. Or even make a not of it in your review and I'll do it in the next chapter. . 

Really sorry about that. But I hope you all will still enjoy this chapter, hopefully it'll clear some things up as well. Lol :-P

--

James blinked, "Rogue?" He whispered still holding her close to him.

Rogue pulled away gently, her eyes wide and searching his for answers, "Oh my God. They're _us_."

The corners of James' mouth turned up and he laughed pulling her back to him, "Crazier and crazier." He chuckled resting his chin on the top of her head. Rogue stiffened slightly confused by James' actions, "Now what?" She whispered relaxing into his embrace and actually beginning to enjoy it.

"Now we figure out why Magneto killed Jack and…" He searched for the right words, "Me? Logan? Well whatever. I think we can get it out of Xavier." He pulled away from Rogue as Scott entered the room with Jean both looking worried.

"What's going on? I thought I heard someone shouting?" Scott said, his eyebrows raised above his glasses.

Jean moved next to Scott, "Are you guys okay?"

James and Rogue both nodded, "James just-" Rogue started but James cut her off with a hand to her shoulder.

"Do ya know who Logan was?" He asked his eyes flickering from Scott to Jean.

Both shook their heads, "No… what's going on?" Scott is the one to ask, shoving his hands in his pockets uncomfortably.

---

I explain what Rogue and me found out while we had been gone. Jean and Scott, now sitting on the couch, stare up at Rogue and I like we're crazy. Can't say that I don't blame them.

"So you're saying… that Xavier is reorganizing the X-men again because he was afraid people would catch on with what he was doing when Logan was murdered?" Jean asks tilting her head to the side, her eyes let on that she didn't believe a word I had said.

Rogue nods, "We think he had something to do with Logan and Jack's murder."

Maybe it's too late, I suddenly think looking at Jean and Scott, maybe they're already brainwashed too. My eyes flicker over to Marie who's looking frustrated at the lack of results from Jean and Scott. I pull her to the side flashing a wary smile at the two, "Be right back." I say dragging Rogue out of the room and into what appears to be a closet. She looks around an amused smile lighting up her face momentarily.

"Can you blank your mind out?" I whisper tapping into old military lessons of Logan's.

She nods, "I'll try. Why what's going on?"

"Just try not to focus on what I say to much," Her eyes search mind quizzically but she nods again, "Good. I think they've already been brainwashed."

Her eyes widen, "Brainwashed?"

I nod, "All of them. Xavier is behind all of this, he somehow got to Magneto and had Logan killed."

"How do you know this?" She whispers.

"Just look at Scott and Jean." I push open the door and we walk out, Scott stands up rubbing the back of his neck.

"Everything okay?" He smiles sheepishly like he knows something and isn't going to tell us.

Rogue moves closer to me and I glance to the door finding Xavier sitting there in his wheelchair, "Welcome back." He smiles and I suddenly feel sick.

"James." Rogue whispers her hand grasping mine, "He's in my head…"

My eyes avert to her then back to Xavier, "Leave her alone!" I shout, my eyes narrowing dangerously, "You killed me and my son but you're not going to kill her!"

--

Xavier's eyes widen at James' words, "L-Logan?" He whispered trying to get into James' mind but failing to get through the shields that had been thrown up.

Rogue's eyes glaze over, "It's okay James." She whispered letting go of his hand and moved to Jean and Scott, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth. James could feel Logan taking over, the claws sliding out between his knuckles.

"You had Magneto brainwashed…" He hissed approaching the wheelchair bound man.

Xavier nodded unaffected by James' claws, "Yes I did. You wouldn't obey my orders, Logan. You wouldn't listen to reason."

"Your reasons sucked!" James shouted clenching his fists by his sides, "That didn't give you any right to kill my son and kidnap my daughter." His voice lowered to a dangerous growl.

"I had no choice," Xavier frowned, "Listen to me Logan-"

James shook his head, "I'm not listening to you anymore old man." He lunged for Xavier's throat and was thrown against the far wall by Jean's telekinesis.

--

A/N: Uhm… Reviews please! :)


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews!!

--

In a split moment of carelessness Xavier let his guard down accidentally releasing his hold on Rogue's mind. Rogue blinked snapping out of the trans she was in, Xavier turned his back on the group, and Rogue tackled Jean to the ground releasing James from the wall. James didn't hesitate a second, the next thing anyone knew Xavier was slumped forward in his chair and James was standing over him with blood dripping off his claws.

Scott surveyed the situation his eyes growing wide under his visor, "W-why?" He stuttered looking pointedly at James.

"He had you all brainwashed." Rogue said climbing to her feet then offered a hand to Jean who pushed it away and climbed up on her own.

"You lie." She whispered running to the Professor's side and checked his pulse. She choked back a sob as tears rolled down her cheeks. Soon everyone in the mansion had entered the room all staring at the Professor in shock. A forlorn looking Kurt whispering prayers in German ushered the younger students out.

James bowed his head retracting his claws, "I'm sorry." He said softly.

"No!" Scott shouted his hand rising to his glasses, "You did this on purpose!"

Rogue went to go to James' side but was held onto by Jean, "Let me go!" She hissed at the woman.

"I did," James nodded looking to Scott sadly as he picked up the journal that had fallen to the floor, "But he murdered someone and their child first. He kidnapped Rogue-"

"Lies!" Scott shouted pulling his glasses off shooting James through the wall with an optic-blast.

Rogue screamed struggling against Jean and now Bobby, "They're not lies!" She cried as the others ran outside after a retreating James.

"Shh Rogue," Bobby whispered, "He's got you brainwashed, it's okay, you're safe now."

Rogue looked at Bobby with wide terrified eyes, "No…" She breathed shaking her head.

---

James' bare feet pounded the ground, slipping on mud, splitting open on jagged rocks, and shooting up pain with every step. He had lost part of his shirt and socks in the blast. His claws, having come unsheathed in the blast, drip with blood. Angry shouts and explosions behind him urge him to run faster. The green journal clutched in his right hand pressed up against his side. It was highly damaged from the heat of Scott's blast and the fall, a page slipped through his hands and flittered to the ground.

A jutting root snagged his foot sending him tumbling into a thicket of thorns. He struggled against them tearing flesh and clothing as he pulled himself free.

_'I'm sorry,'_ He heard Logan say in his mind, _'but I have to go.'_

Ducking behind the thicket as Scott ran by, James looked around wildly, 'What do you mean!?' He thought panicked scrambling to the nearby tree, 'Aren't you me?'

_'No kid,'_ The gravely voice of Logan spoke softly, '_I'm not.'_

--

My eyes water in both pain and fear as I watch the once healing cuts on my skin reopen and bleed. He wasn't me? What the Hell did that mean?

_'Your mutation kid,' _Logan's voice spoke to me again as if he was sitting next to me. Probably sitting on his haunches, his left hand pressed against the tree keeping him balanced, _'Yer mutation is what led me to ya.'_

He had to tell me this now as I was being hunted down, 'What about my mutation? I thought it was-'

I can almost see his head shake, _'It's not. Yer mutation is being able to take on the thoughts and powers of dead mutants.' _Tears roll down my cheeks as I shake now completely helpless against the angry mutants after me, _''m sorry kid. But I had ta find out what happened to my family. Please take care o' Marie…'_

"Wait!" I find myself shouting out loud not caring if I'm found anymore, "What about Marie? How did Rose possess Marie!?"

"Don't move."

I froze, my whole body tensing as I slowly turn to face Bobby standing over me with one hand pointed towards my head. He scowls angrily, "What did you do to Rogue?" It's no big secret that he's had a crush on her since he arrived, which was before me. I shake my head, "Nothing."

His eyebrows draw together then he turns and whistles to the others, "I found him!"

--

A/N: Please Review!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thank you Veronica, Xiowolfe, Roguechere, and Blix Howlett for the reviews! This is ::winces:: unfortunately the last chapter to this story. . Thank you all again for your support in this and all the wonderful reviews!

--

I froze, my whole body tensing as I slowly turn to face Bobby standing over me with one hand pointed towards my head. He scowls angrily, "What did you do to Rogue?" It's no big secret that he's had a crush on her since he arrived, which was before me. I shake my head, "Nothing."

His eyebrows draw together then he turns and whistles to the others, "I found him!"

"Bobby no!" I said frantically, "You don't understand. I didn't do anything to Rogue, Xavier did! Xavier murdered her father and little brother then kidnapped her." Bobby stared down at me with wide eyes letting everything soak in. I turned my head as Scott showed up soon after Bobby's cry followed by several other mutants. I shivered on the ground, my lip and nose bleeding along with several scratches on my face and arms.

My eyes slid over to Bobby who looked to be having an internal debate with himself. He blinked raking a hand through his hair, having not bothered to ice up before confronting me. Scott snarled looking like all he wanted to do was punch me into the ground, "Bastard." He hissed.

I swallowed thickly, "Come on Scott," I said softly not bothering to stand due to the condition my feet were in, "You can't possibly think that I'd do that without-"

"Without what?" Scott snapped, "A motive? Without _what _damnit!?"

I stared at Scott pointedly, "Scott, Xavier was _evil _and plotting against the human race using you and," I waved my hand at the others, "everyone here to help him. He wanted just one race and was willing to _kill _for it."

"I believe that you are wrong James," Ororo said angrily, her eyes glazed over white, "Professor Charles Xavier was a peaceful man. He wanted nothing more than humans and mutants to coexist peacefully."

"No!" I nearly shouted shaking my head exasperatedly, "He didn't. If that's what he wanted then why would he have created the X-men? He had you all under mind control so you wouldn't see the truth!" Why couldn't these people just _see _that!?

Scott scowled reaching to his glasses when a scream from behind him jerked his attention away.

"Stop!" It was Rogue. Oh thank God it was Rogue…

Jean ran behind her looking apologetically to Scott, "She escaped." She mouthed when he glared at her behind his glasses.

Rogue ran to me touching my face gently, "Oh God James." She whispered gloved hands caressing my torn cheek, she then turned to Scott, "Stop this! Xavier had you all brainwashed! Don't you see?" She repeated what I had practically just said. I frowned slightly tilting my head to the side, they weren't going to believe her either I could see it on all of their faces. Everyone but Bobby, there was something in his eyes that showed, for once, that he comprehended what we were trying to say. Not that I'm say Bobby's stupid, but he's had his moments.

"You're the one who was brainwashed," Scott hissed, his hand poised by his temple, "Now move or I'll kill you both."

Rogue shook her head hugging me around the neck. I looked at her, "Don't do this." I whispered and she shook her head again staring at me with such determination in her eyes. Oh God I couldn't let her kill herself, not for me.

"Scott, no." Bobby whispered frantically reaching his hand to Scott's shoulder but Scott ignored him frowning angrily. He pulled his glasses from his eyes and in the split second I had before the blast would hit us both, I grabbed Marie and turned shielding her from the blast. She will not be another casualty in this war…

--

Rogue screamed and continued to scream even after Scott put his glasses back on and left with Jean trotting behind him. James collapsed to the ground on his side, smoke from his charred skin rolling off his back. Everyone stared at the two gaping in shock. Rogue sobbed touching James' face gently, "Please heal… please." She whispered her gloved hands trembling.

James smiled weakly, "I got it," He rasped taking her hand in his, "You had… you had my power. That's why Rose was…Rose was…" He coughed violently blood speckling his lips, coating them like a dark crimson lipstick.

"Someone go get help!" Rogue shouted her eyes landing on Bobby pleadingly, "Please…" She shook her head angrily when he didn't move just stared at her in shock, "You'll make it. You're gonna be okay." She whispered softly wiping his bangs from his eyes.

"Not… this time…" James gasped his eyes glazing over and his breathing slowing, "'m sorry…darlin'…"

Rogue choked back a sob as she rested her head on his chest, "James?" She whispered closing her eyes.

Bobby went to her side and tried to pull her away but she screamed and pulled away from him angrily going back to James' still body. Bobby shot daggers at Scott's retreating back, "Rogue," He said softly turning back to the sobbing girl, "Please get up."

"No… he'll heal, he'll heal." She cried staring down at James' face like he'd open his eyes any second. Carefully she pressed her lips against his forehead and let out a cry when nothing happened.

Bobby slowly knelt down onto his knees, Rogue surprised him back flinging herself into his arms and burying her head into his chest.

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James Logan

1987-2005

He was 18 years old and died on the year I was born… Maybe that was the reason I had been drawn to this particular spot…

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The End

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A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this fic as much as I did! I know all of you wanted something more to have happened between Rogue and James, maybe the last line gave you all a little something to think about. ::wink:: ::wink:: lol

Please review!


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